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Archive for the ‘Sikkim’ Category

Lepcha
script to get Unicode soon(AST_30_1_k8) GANGTOK, Jan 29 – The Lepcha script of
Sikkim will be covered by Unicode soon. The development will boost efforts to
preserve the knowledge base of Sikkim’s original inhabitants in the electronic
age.
“Several people have been involved in writing a proposal to get the Lepcha
script included in the Unicode Standard and recently the Unicode Consortium has
accepted the proposal. The Lepcha script will be included in Unicode 5.1 to be
released in March or April 2008,” said Helen Plaisier from Leiden University in
the Netherlands.
The Dutch linguist has been researching the Lepcha language for a year. She has
completed a preliminary database of Lepcha names of around 300 birds found in
the Sikkim Himalayas.
Unicode is an international character-encoding system designed to support
electronic interchange, processing, and display of the written texts of diverse
languages of the modern and classical world. “The acceptance of the Lepcha
script in the Unicode Standard is of great importance for anyone who wishes to
use the Lepcha script on a computer,” said Plaisier who is currently in the
Netherlands, working on a Lepcha-English dictionary.
“Workable Lepcha fonts have been available for several years now, and have been
used successfully in publications in the Lepcha language in the Kalimpong area
for example,” Plaisier added.
Linguists and researchers from the world over have been stressing on the need
for conserving and documenting the Lepcha language. The Lepchas are
nature-worshippers and it is often claimed that their language has names for all
the birds, plants, butterflies, animals and other insects as well as the hills
and rivers in their native habitat. This knowledge, which is mostly passed
orally, is disappearing fast as the community grapples with modernity.
It is this vast but dying knowledge base that has been attracting researchers
and academicians to Dzongu, the last bastion of Lepchas in the remote parts of
North Sikkim, for conservation and documentation works.
The Unicode Standard assigns every character a unique number, ensuring the same
representation of texts regardless of country, language, or operating system

Sikkim to assess its carbon credit for global support(SEN_19_1_k8)GANGTOK, Jan 18: In a bid to
conserve the lush green forest cover and produce clean hydel power in the State,
the Sikkim government will assess the entire carbon credit earned by the State
so far. “We are seriously thinking to carry out assessment of the entire carbon
credit that we have earned in the process and put the entire clean development
mechanism we follow in carbon trading. This will bring us fame, resources and
technology,” Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling said. The Chief Minister
highlighted his government’s efforts in expanding the State’s forest cover to 46
per cent and emphasized on hydel power generation to reduce overall carbon
dioxide emission in the country. “Sikkim is trying to contribute significantly
by setting up hydel power generation to the tune of 8,000 MW in a phased manner
after taking all environmental safeguards. This will be a big contribution to
the nation in overall carbon dioxide budgeting,” he said. Chamling added that by
adopting these procedures, Sikkim would be preventing the carbon dioxide
emission in a “big way”.
“And whatever industries we have, they do not add to the global warming process
in any way. So, we should be encouraged to consolidate the practice of clean
development mechanism. This means our efforts should be supported,” he said. The
second component of the State’s clean development mechanism would be the
stringent efforts to conserve and expand its forest cover. “Forests are the one
of the richest natural resources and more than 46 per cent of the State’s
geographical area is under forest cover with a per capita forest cover of 0.61
hectare against the national average of 0.08 hectare. The many environmental
initiatives over the years have resulted in an increase of the forest cover by
two per cent, from 43.95 per cent in 1993-94, to 45.97 per cent in 2005-06,”
Chamling said. He also emphasized on the need of awareness about the value of
forests, which should be reflected in the economic planning and adequately
compensated under the clean development mechanism.
According to a study conducted in the Western Himalayas,
an average value of 1,150 dollar (Rs 46,000) per hectare per year is estimated
for the ecological services provided by the forests. “By the same token, Sikkim’s
forests would render a service of value approximately to the tune of Rs 1,500
crores per year. Having taken adequate steps to protect and conserve the
forests, there is a need to evaluate and quantify the services rendered by our
forest ecosystem,” Chamling said. “For us in Sikkim, the issue of carbon trading
is very vital as we have been practising clean development mechanism,” the Chief
Minister claimed. (UNI)

Chamling appeals for bureaucrat support to achieve goals(SEN_26_1_k8)GANGTOK, Jan 25: Sikkim
Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has spelt out a 54-point framework for the
bureaucrats for achieving the fully developed state target of 2015.
Addressing the top brass of the executive wing yesterday, Chamling said they
must be clear on 2015 target to make Sikkim a self-sustainable, 100 per cent
literate state and sought their support in realization of those targets. The
Chief Minister’s guidelines called heavily on the bureaucrats to be visionaries
and lead by example in the implementation of the people centric schemes in a
comprehensive manner.
“Lets share equal responsibility,” said Chamling. He said the bureaucrats were
not very familiar with the power decentralization concept and directed them to
ensure greater autonomy and responsibility to the panchayats. He also appealed
them to evolve a new line of thinking and be more creative in implementation of
the government schemes for the benefit of the common people. The Chief Minister
also remembered the achievements and development activities of the SDF
government in its 14-year rule and said Sikkim will march ahead smoothly.
At the same time, he added that they could have done much better and called upon
the bureaucrats to match the pace of the government. (UNI)

Sikkimese youth selected for civilian bravery award(SEN_6_1_k8)GANGTOK, Jan 5: Twenty-two-year-old Pratap Rai has been selected for Sarvottam
Jeewan Raksha Padak, the highest civilian bravery award of the country. Rai
saved the lives of several people from drowning when the bus they were
travelling fell into the Teesta in October 2006.
In a letter to the State government, Under Secretary at the Union Ministry of
Home Affairs Arvind Mukherjee informed that the President had approved the name
and recommendation sent by the former for the bravery award. The Ministry had
asked the State Government to organize an investiture ceremony at a time and
date convenient to present the decoration which includes a medallion and
certificate as well as a miniature medal that can be worn at official ceremonies
and State functions. He will also get a lump sum cash award of Rs 75,000 along
with the medallion and the certificate. On October 25, a Sikkim Nationalized
Transport bus plunged into the Teesta river which killed 22 passengers and 44
others were injured.
At the time of the accident, Pratap, a resident of Samardung slum, was a witness
to what was happening from across the river, near which the accident occurred.
With daunting courage, he risked his life and swam across the heavy current of
the river and rescued three people from drowning. He also helped the rescue
agencies in the evacuation of the injured persons to local hospitals. For his
bravery, Pratap had already received the State Jeewan Raksha Puraskar during the
Independence Day celebrations last year.
The award included a citation and Rs 10,000 cash reward. This is the second time
a Sikkimese boy has bagged the Sarvottam Jeewan Raksha Padak. Earlier, the award
was posthumously awarded to Prem Pariyar, a rafting guide in 2,000 for a rare
display of indomitable courage and response to the call of duty. Pariyar had
saved six people, which included tourists from drowning during a rafting
expedition. (UNI)

Sikkim
mourns demise of first Governor(AST_8_1_k8) GANGTOK, Jan 7 – The Sikkim Government declared a State holiday
today to mourn the passing away of the first Governor BB Lal at New Delhi, a
government official said.
The State Government also announced a week-long mourning as a mark of respect to
the departed former Governor, he said.
Lal, who served as the first Governor of the border State from 1975 to 1981,
died yesterday at New Delhi aged 91.
Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, in a condolence message to the family
members of Lal expressed his heart-felt grief at his death and recalled Lal’s
contribution as an able administrator in guiding the State on the path of
economic development. – PTI